Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a broadband access technology. Applications based on broadband access technologies, such Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), require IP-based terminal devices on the DSL.
The IP-based terminal devices are known as Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). An Auto-Configuration Server (ACS) synchronizes data with the CPE, and modifies and sets parameter values of the CPE according to the synchronized data so as to achieve the purpose of auto configuration of the CPE.
In a prior art, the synchronization of data between the ACS and the CPE includes: when the value of a parameter with the attribute “Notify ACS of Changes” in the CPE changes, the CPE sets up a connection with the ACS and reports a parameter value change event that carries a parameter list to the ACS, where the parameter list includes all parameter values of the CPE. The ACS synchronizes the parameter values included in the parameter list reported by the CPE. The event will be dropped when the CPE is restarted.
During the research on the prior art, the inventor finds at least the following disadvantages: the synchronization of data on the CPE to the ACS adds the burden on the ACS. Specifically, when the value of a parameter with the attribute “Notify ACS of Changes” in the CPE changes, the CPE sets up a connection with the ACS immediately and reports the specific changes, despite whether the ACS is busy in processing other transactions. The time when the changes are reported is decided by the CPE while the ACS cannot decide whether to receive the changes according to its need.